The fourth season of opera from the New York Met opens this weekend at Cinema Nouveau Rosebank

Opening today with Das Rheingold, the first in Richard Wagner’s epic four-part Ring cycle, the Live in HD season closes in mid June 2011 with The Valkyri, the second in Wagner’s Ring cycle. The new production of Das Rheingold is conducted by James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage with Welsh bass-baritone, Bryn Terfel appearing in the leading role of Wotan. It has very complex set that uses advanced technology and is apparently the most challenging staging the Met has ever produced.

Some of the operas in this season are Met premieres, some brand-new Met productions and some revivals from previous seasons. The Metropolitan Opera productions are recorded live on stage at The Met and are screened to movie audiences around the world, reaching some 1 500 theatres in 46 countries. It seems (according to a Beeld article) that the order and dates of the 12 operas are:Wagner’s Das Rheingold (opening opera) From 5th NovMoessorgski’ Boris Goedenof From 19th NovDonizetti’s Don Pasquale From 10th DecVerdi’s Don Carlos From 7th JanPuccini’s La Fanciulla Del West From 4th FebJohn Adams’ Nixon in China From 4th MarchGluck’s Iphigenia and Tauride From 25th MarchDonizetti’s Lucia Lammermoor From 8th AprilRossini’s Le Comte Ory From 6th MayStrauss’ Capriccio From 20th MayVerdi Il Trovatore (no date given) Wagner’s Valkyrie which ends on 10 June